Pallet tiering frames



June 14, 1960 T. N. DE PEW PALLET mama FRAMES Filed Ma'rch 10. I958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5

- THOMAS N. DEPEW INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY June 14, 1960 T. N. DE PEW PALLET TIERING FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10. 1958 mvmoa.

THOMAS N. DE Pgw BY @L m/ w\ ATTORNEY 2,940,706 PALLET TIERING FRAMES Thomas N. De Pew, University City, Mo., assignor to Arrowhead Products, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., 2 corporation of Arkansas L Filed Mar. 10, 1958, Se!- No. 720,460

6 Claims. (Cl. nae-120 nite States Patent Patented June 14, 1960 ice of the present invention, but is merely representative of storage pallets in general, and although being illustrated as ofthe double-deck, flush-stringer type, may, if

desired, be of other well-known designs, as more fully developed in the aforesaid co-pending application Serial Provided for detachable installation upon pallet 1 is a tiering frame, indicated A, comprising a pair of corner postsor uprights 6, 6 and a center post 7; said posts 6, 6 being located at adjacent corners of pallet 1 and post 7 being presented substantially intermediate the end of pallet 1 parallel to the pallet end between post 6, 6.

Said posts 6, 6', 7 may be any suitable material, but

preferably, of pipe stock. Fixed upon the upper ends of posts 6, 6', 7, in substantial planar parallel relation to the upper face of pallet 1, is an open-frame, generally .Itis, an object of the present invention to provide a J pallet tiering frame comprising a unitary structure havingthree uprights with means for readily detachable top member 8 is greater than the area defined by posts 6, 6' and 7. Therefore, a relatively increased support is provided for loads superimposed upon pallet tiering.

snap-fitting engagement upon storage pallets.

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a pallet tiering frame comprising a unitary structure having asubstantially three-sided top member for receiving superimposed loads in a stable, balanced manner.

.It is an additional object-of the present invention to provide a pallet tiering frameof unitary, integrated construction, which may be adapted for releasably engaging the deckboards of a storage pallet in different manners for accommodating various pallet designs.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a pallet tiering frame of the type stated which may be manufactured most economically; which does not require the utilization of extraneous means for mountsturdy, reliable, and durable in usage.

Other objects and details of the invention will be ap-.

parent :from the following description, when read in connection -with the accompanying drawings (2 sheets) wherein:

Figure l is va perspective View of a pallet tiering frame constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention showing the same in mounted position upon a storage pallet.

Figure 2 is a top plan view. I

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another form of pallet tiering frame constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, showing the same as mounted upon a storage pallet,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the form of pallet tiering frame shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section I I taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the Figure 8 is a perspective view of pallets tiered by the frames of the present invention,- Wherein the forms shown in both Figure l and Figure 3 are illustrated.

In the drawings, 1 designates a conventional storage pallet having parallel side or outer stringers 2, a 0611-.

tral or. innerstringer-3, and upper andlloweri decks or plat-forms. comprised of spaced parallelboards-A, 5, re:

spectively, in axially normal relationship to stringers- 2, 3 and being suitably secured/thereto, as by nails. vIt

is to be pointed out that pallet 1 is not considered a part triangular-shaped top member 8, as of angle stock, pipe,

or the like, integrally comprising a rectilinear portion 9 extending between corner posts 6, 6' and connected at its ends to the ends of a generally curvilinear or elliptic portion 10 the midpoint of which is secured upon the upper end of the centerpost 7; the central arcuate section of said curvilinear portion 10 being such as to overlie portions of pallet 1 between centerpost 7 and the adjacent side edges of said pallet 1 so that the area of frame A.

Corner posts '6, 6 each carry at their lower ends a; 1 foot member 11 for readily releasable engagement at oppositeends of an end upper deckboard 4; such footmembers 11 being of the type more fully described in the aforesaid co-pending application Serial No. 548,097,

comprise a flat plate 12 having-a length substantially equivalent to the width of. the upper end deckboards 4 for flatwise disposition on the upper end surface thereof;

and along one margin is provided with a downturned flange 13 for abutment against the outwardly presented end face of the respective end deckboard 4. On its ina wardly directed side, plate 12 is formed to present a locking toe -14 spaced inwardly from flange 13 (see Figure 6 which consists of a depending section ,15, lying in aplane perpendicular to that of flange 13, which at its lower end is bent under plate 12 to define a distal secframe A illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the locking toes 14 of foot members 11 of each post 6, 6 are presented in what might be termed side by side, parallel relationship with the depending sections 15' being coplanar, whereby said foot members 11 are adapted to engage the opposite end portions of the same decka board.

Centerpost 7 carries at its lower end a foot member 17 comprising a fiat plate 18 for disposition upon the upper surface of the upper deckboard 4 at the end of pallet 1 opposite to that on which corner posts 6, 6 are positionable, and at substantially the mid-point thereof. Said plate 18 at its inner edge integrally includes a pair of spaced locking toes 19, 19' of the same stru'ctural character as locking toes 14, each having a dea distance substantially equal to the thickness of the adjacent central stringer 3 for straddling'the same with confronting lateral faces of each toe abutting against opposite side faces of said stringer.

-orner posts 6; 6 and centerpost 7 are resilient about their point of attachment to top' member 8 and are normally biased outwardly so that in detached or dismounted state will, at their lower ends, be disposed beyond the proximate'end edges ofpa-llet' Therefore;-

in order tomounh tiering frameA upon pallet 1 -it= is requisite that. eachpost 6, 6', 7 besubjectedto'anin wardly 'direct'cd, compressive force for presentingthe locking toes of their respective foot members for engage ment upon the related end deckboard.

Whemticring frame A is in mountedposi'tion, the various posts thereof will be stressed; being urged endwise 7 boardsi locking we 41 being of similar construction to of -pallet 1 through their inherent resiliency which stress will be counteracted by the engagement ofthe locking side faces of locking toes 14 against the inner face of thewproximate side stringer 2, whereby lateral'stability of frameA is-assured.

Posts 6; 6 and 7 are slightly canted so that the same will incline downwardly and outwardly from top memher 8. Suchcanting provides a furthenrigidifying factor by--enhancing the resistance of frame A to any outwardly directed forces of supported loads.

Frame A, hence, constitutes a simple yet highly efi'icient' tiering frame of one-part or unitary construction, beingfully integrated into a single, durable, self-sufiicient structure, necessitating no extraneous devices or toolsfor engagement upon,'and disengagement from, pallets, nor the interconnection with additional elements for operability-.= Th'e'springing, or snapping, of the various foot membersonto. pallet 1 may be easily accomplished by anaverage unskilled workman through the application of -pressure, as. by the foot, against posts 6,- 6, 7, to for-cetsame into position to allow the desiredengagement of thelock-ingtoes.

Illustrated in Figure 3 isanother form-ofpallettieringframe-indicated A, which' incorporates corner posts 26; 26, a center post 27 and a top member Z S, said elementsbeing'in all respects substantially identical'to' posts '6 6, 7 and'top'member 8, .respectively,-of"fra'me A" herein-above described.- Each" corner post 26, 26" mounts-at its lower end a foot member 31 having a fiat plate32; a dependin-g flange 33, and a locking toe 34, whichelements are substantially identical to the foot member 11 plate 12, flange 13, and locking toe 14 de-' scribed hereinabove-with respectto pallet tiering frame A: Hbweven'said foot members 31' are related to their respective corner posts 26, 26" for engaging end portions of decltboards at the opposite ends of pallet 1, rather than the same deckboard as in the case of frame A; so thatthe depending sections 35'of each locking toe32t are in confronting relationship with the related dista'hsections 36 being bent in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Center-posts 27 will thusbe presentedat substantially' the mid-point of the'opposite side of pallet 1 and aligned adjacent d'eckboar-ds for purposes of bridging such space and along its outer edge is provided with a depending flange, 39 for abutment against the outer end faces of theirelated deckboards, while centrally on; its inner edge plate/38 is cut-a-way toprovide a-recess-JG-substantially equal in width to the space intervening the" proximate deckboards.

Along one. side edge of. saidz-recess: there:

locking toes-34 and 14 hereinabove described:

Posts 26, 26 are also resilient with respect to top member 10 and are urged outwardly or endwise of pallet 1,

away from each other, so that the same must be forced inwardly toward each other to bring locking toes 34 into engagement with the opposite end deckboards upon release of pressure. Similarly, center post 27 must be forced inwardly to effect engagement of locking toe 41 as said post is allowed tospring outwardly under release of such pressure. v 1

It will be observed that tiering frameaA'. is adapted for disposition upon pallets in 90 degree relationship to pallet tiering frames A; Pallet tiering' frames A are designed primarily for use upon pallets of the type wherein the transverse center-line of the pallet passes through an inter-deckboard spacing.

In actual usage, for maximum stability, the tiering frames of the present invention-are preferably disposed in an alternatingly reverse manner within a single tier so that-oneone level the corner posts will be toone side of, the tier while on the immediate tier thereabove the corner postsxwill be at the-opposite side-of 'the-tier, all-as suggested in Figure 8; However, Figure/8, for purposes of illustratiion only, shows both'forms of l the present invention, but it is not the intention that frames A and A should be so utilized since either type may be used exclusively within a particular tier, or both may be used dependingly solely upon the availability'of' tieriug frames at a particular storage area and the types of-pallets used;

Althoughthetop members 8, 28 discussed'hereinabove'" cornprise'what has been referred was arectilinear portion and a curvilinear or elliptic portion, formed of generallythree-sided open frame device,- the'same-may be or ring-like design with the posts being, presented at points 120 degrees from'each other, and similarly, such top members-maybe in actual triangular formatiomcomf prising three rectilinear legs adjoining each other attheir endsin the formation of relatively well-defined angles.

It should 'be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, arrangement, and 001m bination of the several parts of the pallet tierin gfra'mes may be made and substituted for these herein shown and" described without'departing fromthe nature and principle of my invention.

is formed a locking-toe =41 havingpa depending section 42. and distal section 431 for grippinglyt-engaging the proxi mate'slateral edg'eof one ofthe adjacent or-center deck Having thus-described myinvention, what I claimand desire to secure-by Letters Patent is:

1'; A tiering frame for use with-storage pallets comprising three posts, two of said posts being located at' adjacent corners of a pallet and the other post being presented at substantially intermediate the ends of' the side 'edge of the'pallet opposite the side between the corner posts, a generally three sided top member'fixed' upon the upper ends of said posts, and means'atthelower ends of each of said posts for detachable engagement upon a pallet, said top member extending from one side of the engaged palletto the other andprovi'ding a support surface for another pallet to present same in tiered relationship to the engaged pallet.

2. A pallet tiering frame as described in claim' I" wherein the top memberis of open frame construction having a generally rectilinear portion extending between ofsecurement to the top member-"being normally'biased at their lower ends in a direction outwardly "of the adjacent-ed'ge=iportion of the pallet for inwardly compressive -movemcnt for presenting the-pallet engagingmcansfor securement upon the pallet;

4. A pallet tiering frame as described in claim 1 wherein the posts are resilient with respect to their points of securement to the top member being normally biased at their lower ends outwardly 'of the adjacent edge portion of a pallet for inwardly compressive movement for presenting the pallet engaging means for securement upon the pallet, and wherein the corner posts are biased in mutually opposite directions and perpendicular to the direction of bias of said other post.

5. A pallet tiering frame as described in claim 1 wherein the posts are resilient with respect to their points of securement to the top member being normally biased at their lower ends outwardly of the adjacent edge portion of a pallet for inwardly compressive movement for presenting the pallet engaging means for securement upon the pallet, and wherein the corner posts are biased in the same direction and opposite to the direction of bias of the other post.

6. A tiering frame for use with storage pallets having a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel stringers and a series of deckboards, axially normal to said stringers and secured upon at least one edge of said stringers to define a storage surface comprising three spaced-apart uprights, a generally three-sided open frame, continuous top member presented in planar-parallel relationship to the storage surface of one pallet and extending from one side thereof to the opposite side for forming a support surface for another pallet, thereby to dispose same in tiered relation to the aforesaid one pallet, said uprights being fixed at their upper ends to said top member and being '6 free throughout their extent from the point of securement to said top member, said uprights further being resilient about their respective securement to said top member and having a normal bias at their lower ends outwardly of the adjacent portion of the engaged pallet, two of said uprights being disposed for disposition at adjacent corners of a pallet and the other of said uprights being presented for disposition centrally of the side of the pallet opposite that extending between the two corner uprights, and detachable engaging means provided at the lower ends of each of the uprights for engagement with a deckboard of the pallet, said resiliency of said uprights causing the application of inwardly directed compressive movement of said uprights for presenting the detachable engaging mean-s for securement upon the related deck- 1 board of the pallet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES National Pallets, advertisement in Modern Materials Handling, July 1949. (Copy Div. '52.) 

